Beverage substance, portion capsule and method for producing a beverage

ABSTRACT

A beverage substance for producing a tea beverage is proposed, wherein the beverage substance is intended to be stored in a portion capsule and to be infused in the portion capsule by means of hot water introduced under pressure into the portion capsule, wherein the beverage substance is substantially particulate and at least in part comprises tea, and wherein the beverage substance has a mean particle size of between 500 micrometres and 1,500 micrometres.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of International Application No.PCT/EP2012/001124, filed on Mar. 14, 2012, entitled BEVERAGE SUBSTANCE,PORTION CAPSULE, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A BEVERAGE, which applicationis hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a beverage substance for producing atea beverage, wherein the beverage substance is provided to be stored ina portion capsule and to be brewed in the portion capsule by means ofhot water being introduced under pressure into the portion capsule, andwherein the beverage substance is substantially granulate and comprisestea at least in part.

Such beverage substances are generally known and are frequently filledinto portion capsules. For example, FR 2 556 323 A1 makes known aportion capsule for producing a beverage which has a substantiallytruncated-cone-shaped or cylindrical base element, which has a hollowspace, and a membrane which seals the hollow space, a filter elementbeing arranged inside the hollow space, said filter dividing the hollowspace into a first region for accommodating the beverage substance and asecond region for accommodating a beverage extract. The beveragesubstance, in this case, however, comprises a coffee powder. The portioncapsule is consequently used for producing a coffee beverage. To producethe beverage, the portion capsule is arranged in a brewing chamber of abrewing chamber machine in which the membrane is perforated and anextraction liquid, in particular hot water is brought into the firstregion. The beverage substance is traversed by the extraction liquidduring an extraction operation such that a beverage extract, in thiscase a coffee beverage is formed which passes right through filteropenings in the filter element into the second region of the hollowspace. The sieving function of the filter element prevents the beveragesubstance from also passing into the second region. In the brewingchamber, a bottom region of the portion capsule is also perforated suchthat the beverage extract is able to leave the portion capsule and,where applicable, pass into a beverage vessel, such as for example acoffee cup.

Over and above this, it is known to use these types of portion capsulesfilled with a tea substance in order to produce a tea beverage in ananalogous manner using the brewing chamber machine. In this connection,however, the problem arises that a high quality tea beverage has to beprepared in a comparatively short brewing time. The user of such brewingchamber machines is used to receiving a finished beverage within amaximum of 1 to 1.5 minutes. In addition, the known brewing chambermachines can, as a rule, supply hot boiling water to the portion capsulefor a maximum of 60 to 90 seconds. In order to produce a cup of tea, theboiling water has to be pumped comparatively quickly through the volumeof the portion capsule. The interaction time between the tea substanceand the boiling water is consequently comparatively short and inparticular clearly shorter than in the case of a classic or manualbrewing operation for a classic tea beverage. The quality of the teabeverage produced in a brewing chamber machine using a portion capsuleis consequently comparatively bad.

It is consequently the object of the present invention to make availablea beverage substance, as a result of which the disadvantages of theprior art are avoided and a more efficient, quicker and more reliablebrewing operation for producing a tea beverage is achieved.

SUMMARY

The object is achieved with a beverage substance for producing a teabeverage, wherein the beverage substance is provided to be stored in aportion capsule and to be brewed in the portion capsule by means of hotwater being introduced under pressure into the portion capsule, whereinthe beverage substance is substantially particulate and comprises tea atleast in part and wherein the beverage substance has an average particlesize of between 500 micrometers and 1500 micrometers.

The advantage of the beverage substance as claimed in the inventioncompared to the prior art is that a clearly more efficient, quicker andcleaner brewing of the beverage substance is made possible. On the onehand, the particle sizes are selected small in such a manner that thebeverage substance has a large surface and, as a result, even in acomparatively short brewing time, it is possible to brew the teaefficiently with a good development of taste and aroma. On the otherhand, the particle sizes are selected large in such a manner that thebeverage substrate is able to be filtered out of the generated teabeverage in a simple manner and consequently the tea beverage preparedfor a consumer is not contaminated by beverage substrate nor is itstaste impaired. The term ‘particulate’ in particular in the sense of thepresent invention means the same as ‘granulate’. The average particlesize comprises in particular the D_(4,3)-value (also referred to as thevolume median diameter of the particle) when the beverage substance ismeasured using the Malvern laser diffraction method. The MalvernMastersizer 3000 with Aero S dry dispersing, 4 bar dispersive pressureand a feed rate of between 60 and 90 has been used for this type ofmeasuring.

As claimed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it isprovided that the beverage substance has an average particle sizeD_(4,3) of between 650 micrometers and 1320 micrometers. In a preferredmanner, the beverage substance has a proportion of particles with aparticle size greater than 500 micrometers which is between 40 percentand 90 percent and is preferably between 50 and 80 percent. In aparticularly preferred manner, the beverage substance has a proportionof particles with a particle size smaller than 100 micrometers which issmaller than 10 percent and is preferably smaller than 8 percent. It hasbeen shown in a manner that is unexpected and surprising to the expertthat a beverage substance with a particle distribution of this typeexhibits optimum extraction behavior. In particular, efficientextraction and a satisfying aroma are achieved where the amount of rawtea material used is less than in the prior art. In particular, anextract content of between 1 and 3 percent is achieved as a result. Theextract content specifies the percentage amount of extracted drysubstance. In this connection, the amount of the substances from thevegetable parts released during the preparation which remain behind as asolid after drying in the drying cabinet is divided by the amount ofvegetable parts present in the capsule. The result is the extractcontent as a percentage.

As claimed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it isprovided that the beverage substance has a specific swelling capacity ofbetween 1.5 and 3 and in particular between 1.0 and 2.6. The swellingcapacity comprises in particular the specific swelling capacity and iscalculated as a quotient from the volume of the dry vegetable parts andthe volume of the vegetable parts swollen after the brewing process. Thedefined swelling capacity advantageously enables an optimum brewingefficiency of the beverage substance in the portion capsule. Inparticular, as a result, during the brewing operation an absorption ofthe water of the beverage particles is achieved which ensures optimumdevelopment of the tea aroma.

As claimed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it isprovided that the beverage substance is thermally preheated to reducegerms. Herbal teas are subject to a very unstable germ load. Priorityattention has been directed to enterobacters (salmonella, coliforms) asthese can result in stomach upsets through to very serious and evenfatal illnesses. In an advantageous manner, the beverage substance isconsequently pretreated thermally in order to reduce enterobacters, butalso yeasts and moulds. Even if the water is not boiling when it flowsinto the capsule, consequently it is ensured that the few germs stillpresent are killed and as a result it is possible to produce ahygienically perfect beverage.

The object of the present invention is also achieved with a beveragesubstance for producing a tea beverage, wherein the beverage substanceis provided to be stored in a portion capsule and to be brewed in theportion capsule by means of hot water being introduced under pressureinto the portion capsule, wherein the beverage substance issubstantially granulate and comprises tea at least in part and whereinat least 90 percent of the beverage substance has a median particle sizeof between 0.1 and 2 millimeters.

In a preferred manner, it is provided that at least 90 percent of thebeverage substance has a median particle size of between 1 and 2millimeters. The filtering of beverage substrate out of the tea beverageis particularly efficient in this connection as almost all particles getcaught in the filter and at the same time, however, individual filteropenings of the filter are prevented from being obstructed by particlesthat are too small. In terms of the present invention, the percentagespecifications relate in particular to the percentage by mass of theparticles, i.e. that those particles of the beverage substance whichhave a median particle size of between 0.1 and 2 millimeters make up atleast 90 percent of the mass of the beverage substance. In terms of thepresent invention, the particle size comprises in particular theparticle median diameter of the beverage substance. This latter ispreferably measured using a sieve analysis where the beverage substanceis sieved, for example, using a sieve tower which is produced fromseveral test sieves which are stacked one on top of the other. The meshwidth of the individual test sieves, in this case, decreases from top tobottom. For carrying out the sieve analysis, the beverage substance isdeposited onto the topmost test sieve and is then exposed to a definedshaking motion. The grain size distribution of the beverage substance isdetermined by weighing out the residues on the individual test sieves.To produce the beverage substance, tea leaves, in particular after thewilting process, are crushed, torn and/or curled (for example by meansof a mechanical CTC process) in order to achieve the above-mentioneddesired particle size or particle size distribution. It is additionallyconceivable for wilted tea leaves to be chopped, cut and crumbled or thelike. The beverage substance is produced, for example, by using thenamed CTC method, the particle size distribution is then measured usingthe above-mentioned sieve analysis method and a decision is made by wayof the analysis results obtained as to whether further size reductionsteps are necessary or whether the desired particle size distribution isalready present.

Advantageous developments and further developments of the invention canbe found in the sub-claims as well as the description with reference tothe drawings.

As claimed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it isprovided that the beverage substance includes an anti-foaming means. Inan advantageous manner, too strong a foaming of the beverage substanceduring or after the brewing operation is prevented by the anti-foamingmeans. In particular when leaving the portion capsule, the tea beverageis strongly swirled, as a result of which large foam bubbles are formed.These latter make it difficult to fill the tea beverage in a propermanner into a receiving vessel, such as a cup or a pot. The anti-foamingmeans comprises in particular hydrophobic, vegetable constituents. In apreferred embodiment, the anti-foaming means comprises a vegetable oil.The vegetable oil is preferably sprayed onto a grain of tea which isthen filled into the portion capsule. This has shown in a surprising andunforeseeable manner that with a maximum proportion of anti-foamingmeans of 5 percent, in a preferred manner a maximum of 2 percent and ina particularly preferred manner a maximum of 1.5 percent of the overallmass of the beverage substance, foam formation is effectively preventedand at the same time there is sufficient tea substance in the beveragesubstance to generate a high quality tea beverage. Along with theabove-described content substances, the beverage substance can alsoinclude further aromatizing and coloring components, such as for examplesugar, caramel coloring, natural coloring from vegetables, dried aqueousextracts from fruit, spices and herbs, oily extracts and extractmixtures of spices, herbs, citrus fruit peel and other vegetables andvegetable parts, aroma substances for rounding off, typifying andstandardizing or the like. Said content substances, after preparation,produce a tea beverage which corresponds to the traditionally preparedbeverage in all characteristics such as aroma, taste, color andappearance.

As claimed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it isprovided that the beverage substance comprises green tea and/or blacktea. In particular, the beverage substance comprises overallsubstantially between 2 and 4 grams, in a preferred manner between 2.5and 3.5 grams and in a particularly preferred manner substantially 3grams of green tea and/or black tea.

A further object of the present invention is a portion capsule forproducing a tea beverage, said portion capsule having a substantiallyclosed container which is filled at least in part with a brewingsubstance which is provided for brewing, wherein the portion capsule isinsertable into a brewing chamber machine for brewing the brewingsubstance and wherein the brewing substance comprises a beveragesubstance as claimed in the invention. The advantage of the portioncapsule compared to the prior art is that it is possible to brew thebeverage substance which is located in the portion capsule in a clearlymore efficient, quicker and cleaner manner. The portion capsulepreferably has a filter element which in a particularly preferred mannerhas filter openings which have a median hole diameter of between 0.01and 1 millimeter. The advantage of this compared to the prior art isthat there is no contamination of the tea beverage to be produced byparticles of the beverage substance, at the same time a more efficientbrewing behavior of the beverage substance being achieved. The highlevel of efficiency of the brewing operation additionally enables in anadvantageous manner a reduction in the amount of the required beveragesubstance, as well as a high brewing speed, as a result of which theduration of the beverage brewing procedure is reduced. It has been shownin a surprising and unforeseeable manner that in particular with abeverage substance where at least 90 percent of the beverage substancehas a median particle size of between 0.1 and 2 millimeters, combinedwith a filter element which has filter openings with a median holediameter of between 0.01 and 1 millimeter, an optimum ratio betweenbrewing efficiency and brewing speed on the one hand and filtration rateon the other is achieved.

As an alternative to this, it is conceivable for the filter element tocomprise a filter felt, by way of which a similarly optimum result canbe achieved. The material of the filter felt preferably comprisespolyester such that cost-efficient production and a high degree oftearing resistance can be achieved. The filter felt has, in particular,a weight per unit area of between 100 and 2000 grams per square meter,in a preferred manner of between 400 and 900 grams per square meter, ina particularly preferred manner of between 600 and 700 grams per squaremeter and in a quite particularly preferred manner of substantially 650grams per square meter. In addition, the filter felt, at right angles toits main extension plane, has in particular a thickness which is between1.5 and 5.0 millimeters, in a preferred manner between 2 and 4millimeters and in a particularly preferred manner is substantially 2.8millimeters. As an option, the filter felt is realized in such a mannerthat, at a pressure of 200 Pa, the filter felt has an air permeabilityof between 100 and 1000 l/(dm²·min), in a preferred manner of between200 and 300 l/(dm²·min) and in a preferred manner of substantially 250l/(dm²·min). The defined filter felt makes possible in an advantageousmanner a quick, efficient and aromatic extraction of the beveragesubstance without, in this connection, particles of the beveragesubstance being washed out of the portion capsule and the beverageconsequently becoming contaminated. As an alternative to this, it isalso conceivable for the filter element to comprise a filter fleece.

The closed container preferably has a substantiallytruncated-cone-shaped base element with a closed bottom which is sealedon its side remote from the bottom with a covering foil, wherein ahollow space for accommodating the brewing substance is realized betweenthe bottom and the covering foil. In an advantageous manner, the portioncapsule as claimed in the invention is consequently able to be used intraditional brewing chamber machines.

A further object of the present invention is a method for producing atea beverage with a portion capsule, wherein in a first method step theportion capsule is inserted into a brewing chamber of a brewing chambermachine, wherein in a second method step boiling water is introducedinto the portion capsule and the brewing substance is brewed by means ofthe boiling water to produce the tea beverage and wherein in a thirdmethod step the tea beverage is discharged out of the portion capsule.By using the portion capsule as claimed in the invention, a teabeverage, which is higher in quality compared to the prior art, isproduced in a comparatively short brewing time without any beveragesubstrate residues.

It has been shown that the named advantages are achieved in particularwhen an extract content is kept between 1 and 50 percent, in a preferredmanner between 1 and 10 percent and in a particularly preferred mannerbetween 1 and 3 percent. The extract content is kept in particular by anaverage particle size D_(4,3) of the beverage substance being providedbetween 500 micrometers and 1500 micrometers and in a preferred mannerbetween 650 micrometers and 1320 micrometers and/or the beveragesubstance being provided with a proportion of particles with a particlesize greater than 500 micrometers which is between 40 percent and 90percent and preferably between 50 and 80 percent, and/or the beveragesubstance being provided with a proportion of particles with a particlesize smaller than 100 micrometers which is smaller than 10 percent andpreferably smaller than 8 percent.

As claimed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it isprovided that in the first method step an inlet opening for the boilingwater and an outlet opening for the tea beverage is generated in theclosed container of the portion capsule, wherein the closed container ispreferably perforated by perforating means of the brewing chambermachine and/or wherein a sealing foil which covers the inlet and/oroutlet opening is preferably removed from the closed container. Theadvantage of this is that the beverage substance does not lose or onlyloses an insignificant amount of aroma during storage of the portioncapsule as, prior to the opening or producing of the inlet and/or outletopening, the portion capsule is substantially hermetically sealed.

As claimed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it isprovided that in the second method step boiling water is introduced intothe portion capsule for a time period of between 30 and 100 seconds, ina preferred manner of between 50 and 80 seconds and in a particularlypreferred manner of between 60 and 70 seconds. It has been shown that anoptimum between a still justifiable brewing duration and comparativelygood brewing results can be ensured in this way.

The method as claimed in one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in thatthe pressure of the boiling water, the inner volume of the portioncapsule, the amount of the brewing substance arranged in the portioncapsule, the amount of the boiling water introduced into the portioncapsule in the second method step, the particle size distribution of thebrewing substance and/or the median hole diameter of the filter elementare matched to one another in such a manner that in the third methodstep an amount of between 150 and 250 milliliters, in a preferred mannerbetween 180 and 220 milliliters and in a particularly preferred mannerof substantially 200 milliliters of tea beverage is discharged out ofthe portion capsule.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the figures and areexplained in more detail in the following description. The figures aredescribed purely as an example and do not limit the general concepts ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of a portioncapsule having a beverage substance as claimed in an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of a portioncapsule as claimed in an exemplary embodiment of the present inventionduring a brewing operation.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of a portioncapsule having a beverage substance as claimed in a further exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of the portioncapsule as claimed in a further exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention during a brewing operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of a portioncapsule 1 as claimed in a first embodiment of the present invention, theportion capsule 1 having a substantially truncated-cone-shaped baseelement 2 which is realized in the manner of a pot and surrounds ahollow space 3. The hollow space 3 is sealed by a covering foil 4 in theform of a membrane. The base element 2 comprises in particular a soft orrigid plastics material. The covering foil 4 preferably comprises a thinplastics material or aluminum foil. The base element 2 has acircumferential fastening flange 20 in the region of the membrane 4, themembrane 4 being positively bonded, in particular welded or glued, tothe fastening flange 20. Inside the base element 2 is arranged a filterelement 5 which is produced from a thermoplastic plastics material, forexample polypropylene. The filter element 5 divides the hollow space 3into a first region 6 and into a second region 7. The first region 6 isprovided for accommodating a powdery beverage substance 10 which is onlyillustrated schematically in the figures for reasons of clarity. Thebeverage substance 10 comprises granulated tea. The beverage substance10 is filled, for example, into the first region 6 and is then compactedbefore the hollow space 3 is sealed by the covering foil 4. The secondregion 7 serves for accommodating and in particular for collecting a teabeverage (not shown) during a brewing operation of the portion capsule1. The portion capsule 1 is provided for the purpose of being insertedinto a brewing chamber 12 of a brewing chamber machine (not shown inFIG. 1), in which a brewing liquid (for example hot water) is suppliedpreferably at high pressure to the first region 6. Said brewing liquidinteracts with the beverage substance 10 such that a tea beverage isformed. The filter element 5 has a plurality of filter openings 8 andfunctions as a filter for the beverage, as a result of which particlesof the beverage substance 10 are filtered out of the produced beverage.The tea beverage, in this connection, passes through the filter openings8 into the second region 7, whilst no particles of the beveragesubstrate 10 pass into the second region 7. The second region 7 isdefined by a bottom region of the base element 2 which is pierced in thebrewing chamber 12, for example by a piercing mandrel of the brewingchamber machine in order to produce an outlet opening for the beverage.As an alternative to this, it is conceivable for an outlet opening to beformed automatically in the base region under the pressure of thebrewing liquid and/or for an outlet opening or an outlet valve to bealready implemented in the bottom region. The outlet opening is sealed,for example, by way of a sealing foil which is removable by hand and isremoved manually by a user prior to inserting the portion capsule 1 intothe brewing chamber machine. The beverage substance 10 is substantiallygranulate and comprises at least in part green tea and/or black tea.However, it is equally conceivable for the beverage substance 10 tocomprise any other sort or combination of commercially available teas,such as, for example, fruit tea, herb tea, peppermint tea, chamomiletea, rose-hip tea and the like. It would also be conceivable for thebeverage substance 10 to comprise a granulate for ice tea. The grainsize distribution of the beverage substrate 10 is selected additionallyin such a manner that at least 90 percent of the beverage substance 10has a median particle size of between 0.1 and 2 millimeters. The grainsize distribution, in this case, is matched in particular to a mediandiameter of filter openings 8 which comprises substantially between 0.01and 1 millimeter. The ratio between the grain size distribution of thebeverage substance 10 and the diameter and cross section of theindividual filter openings 8, in this case, is selected in such a mannerthat almost no particles of the beverage substance 10 pass from thefirst to the second region 6, 7 and at the same time as quick andefficient a brewing of the beverage substance 10 as possible isachieved. The overall mass of the beverage substance 10 in the portioncapsule 1 preferably comprises substantially 3 grams. The beveragesubstance 10 additionally has an anti-foaming means which is inparticular granulate and comprises at least one oil. The anti-foamingmeans, in this case, preferably comprises a maximum proportion of 1.5percent of the overall mass of the beverage substance 10. It isconceivable for the beverage substance 10 to be thermally pretreated toreduce germs.

As an option or as an alternative to this, it is provided that thebeverage substance 10, when it is measured using the Malvern laserdiffraction method (for example by means of a Malvern Mastersizer 3000with Aero S dry dispersing, 4 bar dispersive pressure and a feed rate ofbetween 60 and 90), has an average particle size D_(4,3) of between 650micrometers and 1320 micrometers. In addition, the beverage substance 10has a proportion of particles with a particle size greater than 500micrometers which is between 50 and 80 percent and a proportion ofparticles with a particle size smaller than 100 micrometers which issmaller than 8 percent. The specific swelling capacity of the beveragesubstance 10 is between 1.0 and 2.6.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of the portioncapsule 1 described by way of FIG. 1 during a brewing operation. Theportion capsule 1, in this case, is arranged in a brewing chamber 12 ofa brewing chamber machine which can be, for example, a coffee machinefor brewing coffee portion capsules. The brewing chamber 12 comprises areceiving element 13 for receiving the portion capsule 1 and a sealingelement 14 for sealing the receiving element 13. The brewing chamber 12is movable by axially displacing the sealing element 14 in relation tothe receiving element between a loading position (not shown) and abrewing position shown in FIG. 2. In the loading position, the receivingelement 13 and the sealing element 14 are at a spacing from one anotheralong the axial direction 100 such that the portion capsule 1 can beinserted into the brewing chamber 12 or can be arranged along the axialdirection 100 between the sealing element 14 and the receiving element13. The sealing element 14 is then moved along the axial direction 100in the direction of the receiving element 13 such that the flange 20 isclamped between the edge of the receiving element 13 and the sealingelement 14 and consequently a closed brewing chamber 12 is formed. Inaddition, the receiving element 13 has a mandrel 15 and the sealingelement 14 has a plurality of perforating tips 16. When the brewingchamber 12 is closed, the bottom region of the portion capsule 1 isperforated by means of the mandrel 15 and the covering foil 4 isperforated by means of the perforating tips 16. The sealing element 14has a liquid feed opening 17, through which the brewing liquid is fed tothe first region 6 of the portion capsule 1 in the form of pressurized,hot or cold water. The boiling water, in this case, is introduced intothe portion capsule 1 for a time period of between 60 and 70 seconds.The brewing liquid, in this case, passes into the portion capsule 1through the perforation holes, which are generated in the covering foil4 by means of the perforation tips 16. The brewing liquid interacts withthe beverage substance 10 inside the first region 6, as a result ofwhich a tea beverage is formed or brewed which passes through the filteropenings 8 of the filter element 5 into the second region 7. The teabeverage is additionally directed out of the second region 7 through theoutput hole, which is generated by means of the mandrel 15 in the bottomregion, and is then supplied to a beverage vessel (not shown), such as,for example, a tea cup or teapot. In particular, an amount ofsubstantially 200 milliliters of tea beverage is supplied to thebeverage vessel in one single brewing operation. The extract content, inthis connection, is in particular between 1 and 3 percent. Once thebrewing operation has been completed, the sealing element 14 is movedaway from the receiving element 13 again such that the used portioncapsule 1 can be removed or automatically ejected and the brewingchamber machine, where applicable, can be filled with a new portioncapsule 1.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of a portioncapsule 1 having a beverage substance 10 as claimed in a furtherexemplary embodiment of the present invention, the portion capsule 1being substantially the same as the portion capsule 1 illustrated inFIG. 1 and the only difference being the filter element 5 realized as afilter felt. The beverage substance 10 corresponds in particular to thebeverage substance 10 described in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2.

The material of the filter felt preferably comprises polyester. Thefilter felt has a weight per unit area of between 600 and 700 grams persquare meter and in particular of substantially 650 grams per squaremeter. The thickness of the filter felt at right angles to its mainextension plane is substantially 2.8 millimeters. At a pressure of 200Pa, the filter felt preferably has an air permeability of substantially250 l/dm²·min.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a sectional drawing of the portioncapsule 1 described by way of FIG. 3 during a brewing operation, themandrel piercing the capsule bottom from below—similar to as in FIG. 2.In the present example, however, the mandrel tip enters into the filterfelt such that the beverage is able to flow out of the portion capsule1. The extract content, in this connection, is also in particularbetween 1 and 3 percent. It is also conceivable for the mandrel tip topierce the filter felt completely and/or for the filter felt to belifted up slightly in the region of the mandrel tip. An efficientflowing-out of the beverage is made possible by means of the cross flowinside the filter felt (parallel to the main extension plane of thefilter felt), the individual particles of the beverage substance beingfiltered out through the filter felt and consequently not contaminatingthe beverage as it flows out.

1. A portion capsule for producing a tea beverage, said portion capsulehaving a substantially closed container which is filled at least in partwith a brewing substance which is provided for the brewing process,wherein for brewing the brewing substance the portion capsule can beinserted into a brewing chamber machine, wherein the closed containerhas a substantially truncated-cone-shaped base element with a closedbottom which is sealed on its side remote from the bottom by means of acovering foil, wherein a hollow space for accommodating the brewingsubstance is realized between the bottom and the covering foil, whereinthe portion capsule has a filter element, characterized in that thefilter element comprises a filter felt and in that the brewing substancecomprises a beverage substance for producing a tea beverage, wherein thebeverage substance is provided to be stored in the portion capsule andto be brewed in the portion capsule by means of hot water introducedinto the portion capsule under pressure, wherein the beverage substanceis substantially particulate and comprises tea at least in part, whereinthe beverage substance has an average particle size (D_(4,3)) of between500 micrometers and 1500 micrometers.
 2. The portion capsule as claimedin claim 1, wherein the beverage substance has an average particle size(D_(4,3)) of between 650 micrometers and 1320 micrometers.
 3. Theportion capsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beverage substancehas a proportion of particles with a particle size greater than 500micrometers which is between 40 percent and 90 percent and is preferablybetween 50 and 80 percent.
 4. The portion capsule as claimed in claim 1,wherein the beverage substance has a proportion of particles with aparticle size smaller than 100 micrometers which is smaller than 10percent and is preferably smaller than 8 percent.
 5. The portion capsuleas claimed in claim 1, wherein the beverage substance has a specificswelling capacity of between 1.5 and 3 and in particular between 1.0 and2.6.
 6. The portion capsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beveragesubstance is thermally preheated to reduce germs.
 7. The portion capsuleas claimed in claim 1, wherein at least 90 percent of the beveragesubstance has a median particle size of between 0.1 and 2 millimeters.8. The portion capsule as claimed in claim 1, that the beveragesubstance comprises an anti-foaming means.
 9. The portion capsule asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the anti-foaming means comprises a vegetableoil.
 10. The portion capsule as claimed in claim 8, wherein theanti-foaming means comprises a maximum of 5 percent, in a preferredmanner a maximum of 2 percent and in a particularly preferred manner amaximum of 1.5 percent of the beverage substance.
 11. The portioncapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beverage substance comprisesgreen tea and/or black tea.
 12. The portion capsule as claimed in claim1, wherein the beverage substance comprises substantially between 2 and4 grams, in a preferred manner between 2.5 and 3.5 grams and in aparticularly preferred manner substantially 3 grams of green tea and/orblack tea.
 13. The portion capsule (1) as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe material of the filter felt preferably comprises polyester.
 14. Theportion capsule (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter felt has aweight per unit area of between 100 and 2000 grams per square meter, ina preferred manner between 400 and 900 grams per square meter, in aparticularly preferred manner between 600 and 700 grams per square meterand in a quite particularly preferred manner substantially 650 grams persquare meter.
 15. The portion capsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein thefilter felt, at right angles to its main extension plane, has athickness which is between 1.5 and 5.0 millimeters, in a preferredmanner between 2 and 4 millimeters and in a particularly preferredmanner is substantially 2.8 millimeters.
 16. The portion capsule asclaimed in claim 1, wherein, at a pressure of 200 Pa, the filter felthas an air permeability of between 100 and 1000 l/(dm²·min), in apreferred manner between 200 and 300 l/(dm²·min) and in a preferredmanner is substantially 250 l/(dm²·min).